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Lane Kiffin's The controversial departure didn't hurt Ole Miss in its first-round College Football Playoff matchup with Tulane.
The Rebels earned a 41-10 win over the 11th-seeded team. green wave Saturday. Ole Miss defensive back Trinidad Chambliss was treated on the field and was ejected from the game during the Rebels' final run of the first half.
Chambliss was assessed for a concussion and cleared. He returned to the game on Ole Miss' first possession in the third quarter and finished with one pass and two rushing scores.
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Trinidad Chambliss (6) of the Ole Miss Rebels scores a touchdown during the first quarter of the first round of the College Football Playoff game against the Tulane Green Wave at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on December 20, 2025 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Wes Hale/Getty Images)
Tulane quarterback Jake Retzlaff orchestrated an offense that moved the ball at times, but the Rebels held a comfortable lead throughout. Ole Miss's dominance nearly mirrored its 45-10 victory over Tulane in September.
Retzlaff finished with 306 yards passing and a touchdown to Tulane, whose loss dropped non-Power Five conference teams to 0-3 in CFP play. James Madison is the only non-Power Five team remaining in this year's playoffs. The Dukes trail Oregon by 31 points with less than five minutes left in the first half of Saturday night's first-round game.
De'Zaun Stribling (1) of the Ole Miss Rebels celebrates with Diego Pounds (61) after scoring a touchdown in the third quarter of the first round of the College Football Playoff game against the Tulane Green Wave at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on December 20, 2025 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Wes Hale/Getty Images)
Kiffin asked to continue coaching Ole Miss into the playoffs even while working for Southeastern Conference rival LSU. Kate CarterOle Miss' athletic director denied the request. And so the Rebels entered perhaps the most important game ever played at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium with new coach Pete Golding.
Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding is surrounded by his team after winning a first-round College Football Playoff game against Tulane at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi, on December 20, 2025. (Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
Following Kiffin's departure, Golding was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach.
At Mississippi's famed Grove, artwork around tailgate tents portrayed Kiffin in a negative light, including one that featured him in the Christmas “naughty” list and Golding in the “nice” column.
On the opposite sideline was Tulane coach John Sumrall, who was allowed to continue coaching the Green Wave after he was hired by Florida. Sumrall will replace Billy Napier.
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Ole Miss advanced to the quarterfinals and will advance get to know Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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